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Weiss not concerned by CarGo's high strikeout rate

Weiss not concerned by CarGo's high strikeout rate

7/2/13: Carlos Gonzalez has some trouble holding onto his bat against the Dodgers, losing his grip three different times

By Ian McCue
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MLB.com |

DENVER -- Slugger Carlos Gonzalez may be swinging and missing more than ever before, but count manager Walt Weiss among those less than concerned.

CarGo had already collected 95 strikeouts in 82 games, fourth-most in the National League. On the flip side, Gonzalez's 22 homers and .596 slugging percentage lead the league entering Wednesday.

"I'm going to be pitched differently than everybody else," Gonzalez said recently. "I'm going to see a lot more hard pitches. But one of the good things I'm doing is I'm not afraid to strike out. I'm going to strike out a lot. That's part of the game. If I don't want to strike out, I just have to stop playing."

His previous career-high for strikeouts is 135 in 2010, also the best season of his career offensively. This year, Gonzalez is on pace for 185 strikeouts.

The left fielder's philosophy makes even more sense when you consider that he has seven homers, 19 RBIs, 11 doubles and three triples on two-strike counts this year, despite hitting .181 in those situations. It's a trade Weiss is more than willing to make given the power Gonzalez adds to the Rockies' lineup.

"I think that's the tradeoff with most guys that have that much power," Weiss said. "… There's usually more length with their swings, which is why they hit the ball further when they catch it. At the same time, you might miss some pitches too because of the length."

Ian McCue is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.